Chapter 2409: For the Homeland

Chapter 2409: Chapter 2126: For the Homeland

When Pompianus first received the financial expenditure report, after serving as a finance officer for over ten years, he nearly quit. Commodus was a fool, but Severus was truly a wastrel.

However, out of love for his homeland, Pompianus painstakingly took on the task. After all, having been the finance officer for over ten years, he understood the importance of his position. While he was there, he could at least curb certain malignant expenditures. If he stepped down, the savings from the Five Wise Emperors, which had lasted thirteen years, would likely be depleted in less than ten.

Thus, although Pompianus wished he could strangle Severus, he had to cooperate with Severus and continue pressing on.

“So you’re telling me that, because I’m expanding the army, even if you work hard every year to maintain the national economy, you still need to tap into the national treasury savings?” Severus felt equally troubled, but on one hand, he couldn’t reduce soldiers’ pay, and on the other, couldn’t diminish the army.

The former was because Severus had served in the army and understood the importance of pay, and the latter related to national strength. The Five Wise Emperors were so formidable, Trajan almost exploded trying to conquer Great Britain and failed. Severus, however, succeeded. Wasn’t it due to having a larger, stronger force?

“Yes, and according to what I’ve seen so far, coupled with the enthusiasm of Roman citizens towards military service, I believe this number will keep increasing, so we must cut military financial expenditure!” Pompianus pressed his forehead as he fought the urge to leave on the spot. He didn’t want to be blamed, but out of love for the country, he had to persist.

“No way. You must clearly realize how outstanding the Five Wise Emperors were since you witnessed it yourself. Despite their excellence, they never managed to tread upon Britannia. Caesar was the founder of the Roman Empire, an even more formidable consul than the Five Wise Emperors, yet he also failed to defeat the Three Great Barbarians.” Severus said with utmost seriousness as he looked at Pompianus.

To be honest, since Severus ascended the throne, he has been pursuing vanquished foes, quelling domestic unrest, and defeating Rome’s neighboring foes. Now, he has decisively overcome the Three Great Barbarians that have fought Rome for hundreds of years, pushing the Roman Empire’s territory to Britannia, reaching as far as the Baltic Sea. These achievements are enough to outshine the Five Wise Emperors.

Once Severus overthrows Rome’s greatest enemy Parthia, Severus’s accomplishments would astonish the Romans themselves. The feats that predecessors failed to achieve were accomplished by Severus in a single stroke, making him indeed a Great Emperor!

“…” Pompianus’s face darkened at this moment. Honestly, if Severus wasn’t so formidable, genuinely achieving terrifying feats for the Roman Empire System within these years, he would have turned heel and left immediately.

“But if this continues, the country will face fiscal collapse due to deficits within thirteen years. All your efforts will be in vain.” Pompianus calmed down for a moment and still voiced softly.

Having experienced the end of the Five Wise Emperors’ era, Pompianus admitted Severus was indeed an exceptional emperor, even more formidable than the Five Wise Emperors in expansion. If Rome has any chance to end its endless wars with Parthia, then Severus is likely the emperor to do it.

“Then let’s prevent it from crumbling!” Severus resolutely said.

At this moment, Pompianus just wanted to flip the table over Severus’s face. With just a sentence, the entire national financial problem is left for him to resolve. Does Severus understand his inner pain? If the Roman Empire collapses due to financial issues, he would be ridiculed for thousands of years on the pillar of shame. Does Severus grasp his mentality?

“I was a bit impatient.” Severus probably noticed the finance officer’s expression, apologized after a while.

“If only apologies could solve problems.” Pompianus said in frustration, then silently opened the papyrus notebook, flipped to the page with his financial calculations, opened it, and showed it to Severus.

Severus was a military emperor and was quite clueless about administrative affairs, so he looked at it for a while without understanding.

“This is my plan. It could potentially increase fiscal income by fifteen points, thanks to you, although you’ve made a mess of Rome’s finances, in terms of expanding territories and stabilizing Rome’s surroundings, few emperors can match you.” Pompianus explained with resentment.

Although he disliked Severus’s reckless financial model, for the sake of the Roman Empire he would still help clean the mess. For the homeland.

“This is my plan. Do you know Christianity?” Pompianus sighed and explained, neither for power nor for the emperor, just for the country.

“Oh, I remember we’ve exterminated them several times. How have they revived again? Aren’t the people in Judea Province experts at dealing with this?” Severus expressed, having experience in this.

“Oh, during the rule of the nameless one, weren’t we in chaos? Christianity seized the opportunity to rapidly spread at the grassroots level, affecting many barbarians. Previously, due to domestic conditions, we didn’t manage it. I think we can take action now.” Pompianus said calmly, “Capture those hundreds of thousands and let them atone, since they are guilty anyway.”

“In newly allied territories, we can employ some bloody management methods. Since they are guilty, let them atone here.” Pompianus said in a heartless manner.

“Won’t they unite and cause trouble?” Severus frowned and asked.

“Move people from Judea Province and Egyptian Province as well. Since they’re all fond of religion, I believe heresy is more interesting to them than heretics.” Pompianus smirked and said, “We can tell them, those who produce more, we can assist in establishing a Holy See in other places.”

“That seems quite reasonable.” Severus bowed his head in thought for a long time, comparing it to what he had seen. For example, Romans struck against Christianity merely as a side note, whereas Judea Province considered it a major task, inexplicably agreeing with the other’s reasoning.

“However, aiding them to establish a Holy See seems a bit excessive.” Severus, although finding Pompianus’s plan sensible, thought such promises were somewhat inappropriate.

“No worries, I never said where we’d establish a Holy See.” Pompianus said shamelessly, “Besides, we are both the writers of the rules and the regulators, we decide who wins and loses. Give them a little hope so they’ll work harder.”

“That is indeed a pretty good idea. In this manner, we certainly can gain a significant output.” Severus nodded and said.

“The second plan is the current practice—plundering. But not plundering small tribes, plundering powerful nations, like Parthia.” Pompianus sneered as he spoke.

“You wouldn’t even need to mention that; I’d do it anyway.” Severus waved his hand, saying that once this is settled, if Ganasis hasn’t resolved it, he’d personally lead troops over and crush Parthia.

“No, my intent is to loot, not just conquer. My intent is to entirely loot the whole country of Parthia, including their nobles and civilians, loot them once. Since we don’t need that area, why not loot it clean!” Pompianus sneered as he spoke, planning as if to devour once and not eat again.

“This…” Severus felt a bit awkward. It’s kinda shameful, but considering the national fiscal situation, shame is better than national collapse.

“No problem, if Ganasis doesn’t clean up properly, I’ll come again, from the imperial clan to the Seven Great Nobles, down to all sorts of lesser nobles, I’ll do just that.” Severus adjusted his mentality, expressing it was fine.

Actually, the most problematic aspect of the Roman and Parthian war was this. The Romans, upon capturing Parthian nobles, allowed Parthians to ransom them. At the level of the Seven Great Nobles, even when Romans had the ability to annihilate them entirely, they still allowed them to ransom according to conventions.

Pompianus’ idea was, we don’t need to adhere to these anyway, looking at the emperor’s stance, Parthia will certainly be defeated, why worry about rules? Rules are made for others to see, do we have others around us?

No, now it’s just us. No need to pretend, loot all of Parthia from top to bottom, regardless of nobles or civilians, captured are all slaves, take away everything valuable nationwide. I estimate after looting Parthia, the Roman Empire’s finances will be stable for at least twenty years.

With a twenty-year buffer time, regardless of reducing military forces, or general demobilization, elevating military status while enhancing the required qualities, naturally reducing army size, or implying fiscal difficulties requiring soldier concessions, or plainly stating the Roman Empire’s surrounding conditions are excellent, requiring less military forces to maintain national conditions.

In short, with twenty years of buffer, there are plenty of solutions to resolve the issue!

After hearing this, Severus deeply felt that indeed the oldest ginger is spicier, seemingly if done this way, Rome can smoothly transition this time.

“In conclusion, as I see it, here are the methods to solve the issue: religious criminals clear land and farm, Celtic slaves forge standard weapons. In summary, what we need to do now is open up revenue and cut expenses. Until we resolve the Parthian issue, absolutely do not continue expanding the military!” Pompianus repeatedly warned, this was already the solution he could think of.

After all, Rome besides the Eagle Banner Legion had the Barbarian Army and auxiliary forces. Although the pay for Barbarian Army and auxiliary forces wasn’t high, their sheer number had an impact. Moreover, certain elite Barbarian Army, like the Teutonic Throwing Axeman, received pay almost equivalent to dual talent elite legions like the Fifth Lark Legion!

After all, being dual talent elites, even if they were barbarians, they couldn’t be too underpaid!